Courtesy Calls and the Navy
by smileyanne
Summary: Years later she'll look back on the courtesy call she never should have made. And she won't regret it...


_a/n: So another Borin and Gibbs fic. I can't help it, Borin is the one woman on that show who isn't dead yet that has the best relationship with Gibbs. And I love that the writer's could just go any way with them. It's freaking awesome. Though, if they do get together, I can't see it happening until the very end of NCIS. Like an angry hook-up close to the final finale. _

_Okay, so us few people out there who are of the Borin and Gibbs little fandom. We need to come up with a name for those two. I don't get why we don't really have one yet...even the most unpopular ships have names._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own NCIS_

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><p>After hearing the gunshots-two if she counted right, and she did-her reaction was instinctive.<p>

She knew that common courtesy might dictate for one _not _to bring a gun on a date. She also knew that she could very well get in trouble for carrying a personal weapon; even with a permit.

Still, this torturous thing called a date was on a boat. _Her _jurisdiction, meaning if something did happen then she was sure the little fact that she had kept a personal weapon could be forgiven.

And it looks like she would have to rely on that faith. Considering she was currently teetering on a pair of too high heels towards the sound of gun shots, all while people-including her date-dropped and screamed their heads off around her.

Her gun held awkwardly in hand, she checked the best she could through the glass door. Sliding open the glass pane, she hoped and prayed that no one would shoot her when she came out.

People screamed still, seconds after the shots had ended. Borin had never understood why people screamed at gunshots, there was no sense in it; screaming wouldn't keep someone from harming you. To Abby, it had always made more sense to be quiet in the face of danger.

At the very least, keeping quiet always guaranteed that you wouldn't go down saying something stupid.

The cool night air that blew off the Potomac rustled her perfectly curled hair. Taking a deep breath, she smelled blood, and saw it. There were streaks of it, leading down the stairwell. Abandoning the last advantages of cover she had in the doorway, Borin stepped forward-

And saw the uniform.

The pristine dress blues were bloodied, and maybe it said more about Borin that she scanned the deck in front of her first. Putting that before dropping to her knees and pressing shaky fingers to a bloodied neck-looking for a pulse.

Nothing.

She moved to a thick wrist; nothing. Desperately, she leaned over him and pressed a flat palm against his chest; absolutely nothing at all. She exhaled heavily and leaned back on her haunches.

How the hell did this happen?

Minutes ago this still man before her; Jeremy Nolan, had stood before her at the bar. Flirting with her! And if Borin hadn't been on a date (because even though she still brought a gun on a date, she wasn't going to hookup with another man on one) she would've gladly taken the small moment of flirtation farther.

He'd seemed like a nice guy.

Now, here he was dead. There wasn't even a thready, barely there pulse to work with. He'd been shot twice, and apparently those two shots had killed him instantly, because she had even tripled check.

There wasn't anything she could do for him, sighing she rose to her feet.

In the minute or two they'd spent talking, she had decided that he was a good man. She was upset he was dead, but standing up at the top of the stairwell-there was only one thing on her mind-

Why, oh why, did he have to be a marine?

Walking back into the bar room of the ship, she grabbed a waiter. Flashing her badge quickly, and deliberately being vague about which agency she was from. She roughly positioned him in front of the exit, and gave him serious orders about not letting anyone in or out.

Once that was taken care of, she finally turned her attention to the man standing in front of her. The esteemed captain of their ship was standing in front of her, a worried look on his face. Somehow she didn't think she could get by with a sketchy explanation as to where she was from with this old guy.

Gesturing him forward, and away from the gathered crowd of onlookers, he came forward stiffly. Military in his posturing, she wondered vaguely if he had any ties with the Navy.

"What's going on?" He asked warily.

"My name is Abigail Borin. I'm with CGIS," she said, flashing him her badge quickly. Either he knew what CGIS meant, or the badge was enough for him because he didn't ask the usual questions. Then again, she didn't exactly give him time to either-

"There's a dead body back in the stairwell, and currently everybody on this ship is a suspect. Including you or me," she had to give the guy points for not visibly reacting to the mention of a dead body. Though it could have been because he was the killer, the twenty year old waiter she had just put in charge of her crime scene could also be the killer.

Any person on this boat could be the killer-it wasn't like she had a lot of options.

"What do you need me to do?" He said immediately in response to her words. Borin thought about it quickly...There were a lot of things she needed to at the moment, but what took priority was getting this boat back to dry land.

"First of all, I need you to gather up _everyone _on this boat. Bring them all in here," she gestured to the bar room around them. "Then, I need you to bring us back to port. As quickly as you possibly can."

"Okay," he nodded his head, as if reaffirming his confirmation, "I can do that."

With a purposeful stride he made to take off, before something else occurred to Abby. Reaching out she managed to grab at his elbow. Expectantly awaiting more orders, he faced her.

Except this wasn't order...more like a request.

"Do you have a cellphone I can use?" She asked politely. Hers was in her purse, all the way at the bar. And she didn't feel like wading through a crowd of worried people-and her date-to get to it.

"Yeah, sure." Sticking his hand into his trouser pocket, he fished out a battered gray cellphone. Thanking him, she waited for him to walk away before turning her back on the gathering crowd.

With nimble fingers she dialed in a number, one that she knew far too well for her own good. And the fact that it was a personal one-not business-said a million things. Putting aside her own reservations about it, she finished punching in the number-

She had a _courtesy _call to make.

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><p>The cavalry arrived hours-once the sun was already up, and a new day had already begun-later. Exactly, five minutes after they docked the ship and Borin had started communicating with the local LEO's.<p>

Of course, he had to bring the _whole _cavalry, and Borin couldn't actually say she was surprised. After all, he had practically warned her of it. When she had called him, somehow she wasn't surprised that even in the wee hours of morning he sounded wide awake. Though he still answered in his typical grumpy manner, Abby had been surprised about how the beginning of that conversation had started out-

_"Gibbs."_

_"I've got a dead marine on a ship in the middle of the Potomac. We're heading back to port, but we're a few hours out-."_

_"...Okay...What the hell are you doing out on the Potomac at two a.m.?"_

She was a little embarrassed at that point when she realized she hadn't even said her name. Just started jumping into a report like he was her C.O. or something. So it was with only a little mortification that she went back to the pleasantries that they hadn't exchanged-

_"Uh, it's Abigail Borin-"_

She'd been all prepared to be a little civil, but make it well known that he wasn't welcome here...Until his next words threw her completely off her significant guard.

_"Yeah, know who you are. What I wanna know is why your on a ship with a goddamn killer."_

_"Well, I was on a date...Not that it's any of your business."_

_"You were on a date with a murder?"_

At that, she couldn't help but scoff sarcastically. That idiot? Yeah, sure...he could be a killer...If the victim were helpless kittens.

_"Is that no?"_

_"Yeah," _she had mumbled, her voice trailing off. So far, no trying to get the case from her...Only questions about her date? When the silence dragged on awkwardly, at least on her end, she did the only thing she could think of and resorted back to their shared default setting; business. _"When I found the marine a minute after the shots, he was already dead..."_

_"You're the one who found 'im?"_

_"Yeah, that's what I just said-"_

_"I'm coming down there-"_

_"Gibbs! My case-"_

_"Still comin' down-"_

_"No you're not-"_

_"Can you stop me from the middle of the Potomac?"_

_"...Least bring a change of clothes with you-"_

When Gibbs approached her on the dock; with a smirk that said: _"Hahaha you couldn't stop me!"_. Borin was sure her glare said something like this: _"We'll see about that. I can still make your life a living hell"_. All while spouting about courtesy calls and jurisdiction lines, with his eyes taking in her beautiful ruined dress.

Oh she was all prepared to make his life a living hell; especially when he shoved a stack of clothes towards her with the teasing words-

"The gift shop was all out of pantsuits."

The only thing that kept her from decking him right then and there, was the motivating factor of not wanting to hear DiNozzo's remarks once he saw her outfit. Because surely if _Gibbs _of all people said something about it, then DiNozzo would too. And really, she just wanted to never see any of them ever again!

Taking the stack of clothing from him (which she was almost 99.9% sure was going to be something absolutely atrocious that forced her to go home), she made idle small talk with him as she went up the stairs of the boat. Though she didn't exactly _like _undressing out there in the open, she didn't have many options; besides it wouldn't be the first time she'd had to change in a tight space.

Crouching down behind the deck, she unfolded the stack of clothes; a navy colored long-sleeve shirt, a pair of gray sweatpants, and a pair of canvas shoes. Satisfied that she wasn't going to be wearing something with writing on her butt, she set about the task of switching outfits.

She was quick about it, all while keeping conversation going with the bastard down below her..._And _keeping a halfhearted eye on where _his _eyes were. But when she stood up again; fully dressed and slipping her feet into the pair of shoes he'd provided, and he looked at her with a little half grin and said-

"Navy looks good on you Borin."

Glancing down at what she hadn't noticed was emblazoned at the corner of her shirt she saw the white lettering: N.C.I.S. Immediately getting the double-meaning there, the appreciation in his eyes almost made up for the fact that she was a _little _disappointed that he hadn't even tried to sneak a peak.

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><p>Now, <em>years <em>later, she's where she never thought she'd be. Let alone _want _to be...

She's in his rarely used bed, the twisted sheets pooling around her waist. Her red hair is tangled wildly after their little...escapade, and the only thing she's wearing is a navy long sleeved shirt.

He's off to the side, yanking on a pair of jeans in an annoyed fashion. It's around three in the morning, and he's just gotten a call from dispatch that made him get out of the warm little nest they've created and go face all of the annoyances of the world outside. Though, to be fair, it wouldn't be the first time this has happened (maybe that's why he's so annoyed this time?), and they both know it won't be the last.

Sometimes it's her that gets the call. Sometimes it's him. And sometimes it's _both _of them.

But this time it's her that gets to drift back off to sleep while he's out there head-slapping people and chasing the ever elusive bad guys of the world. For now, she'll content herself with drifting back to memories years prior; for instance the time she made the mistake of placing a courtesy call to him.

Aggressively yanking on a red polo, he pads silently to the edge of the bed; looking down at her with appreciation in those cobalt blues. Eyes raking over her untidy form, he watched as she sat up fluidly. Hooking deft fingers in his belt loops, he crouched down to place his lips on hers.

"Anyone ever tell you Navy looks good on you, Borin?" Gibbs murmurs against her mouth, greedy fingers exploring under the hem of the same shirt he had complimented her on all those years ago.

She can't help but smile at the familiar words-

"Mmmm. Once a long, long time ago."

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><p><em>an: idk even. Geez it seems the fics that are coming easiest to me these days are Borin/Gibbs fics and nothing will probably ever happen between these two!_


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